Heat exchange unit



Feb. 29, 1944. N. T. KATSULOS HEAT EXCHANGE UNIT Filed Feb. 10, 1942ELECTRI C CONTROL UNIT 2 m D A 2 coouNG COIL IN VENT OR. WZWa/avT/fafisu/aa A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 29, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE near EXCHANGE UNITNicholas '1. Katsulos, Stevensville, Mich. Application February 10, 1942Serial No. 430,212

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in heat exchange unit.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a heat exchange unit which isentirely self-containedand incased in a compact attractive housing well adapted to be disposedin a room of a dwelling to heat or cool the same as desired.

Second, to provide a space heating or cooling unit of the type describedincorporating means for circulating air in a room and means associatedwith said means for heating or cooling the air prior to circulationthereof, as the circumstances warrant.

Third, to provide a unit of the foregoing type which is made up ofelements associated in a novel self-contained and highly simple andcompact structure adapted to be sold at relatively low price fordomestic use or for use in regulating the temperature of oiilces,household rooms and the like.

Further objects relating to details and economies of my invention willappear from the des.ription to follow. The invention is defined in theclaims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal section through the heat'exchange unitof my invention, being taken along a line corresponding to lin l-l ofFig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the compact and attractiveexterior appearance of the unit.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral l designates a compact,attractive, suitably finished sheet metal casing made up of stampingswhich houses the operating parts of the heat exchange unit of thepresent invention. The top 2 of this casing is adapted to be removed,being provided'with a depending flange 3 which fits onto an opening I inthe top of the casing body. By removing the cover, access may be had tothe interior of the casing through an opening of substantial size. Thecasing 2 is provided with discharge louvers II at one endthereof throughwhich air to be circulated is discharged and intake louvers 5 on theopposite end and sides of th casing adjacent the bottom thereof throughwhich air to be conditioned is drawn into the casing. I

Mounted on a transverse channel-like support 6 secured to the opposedwalls of the casing, I provide a radiator or heat exchange element 1,

that illustrated being of the type commonly employed in automotivecooling systems. For simplicity, member I is hereinafter referred to asa radiator, though it will be appreciated that it is more than just aradiating member, it also functions to absorb heat units from the airstream in one phase of operation of the unit. Specific details of theradiator are not illustrated inasmuch as similar structures areconventional and readily available on the market. One of the primaryadvantages of the present invention is that it is made up in largedegree of just such readily and inexpensively available parts.

Adjacent the opposite end of the housing or casing I, I mount a tank 8of suitable capacity having well insulated walls 9. The bottom ofradiator! is placed in liquid communication with the bottom of the tankby means of a connection 10 including suitable fittings l I, I2communicating with the radiator and tank, respectively, and an elongatedhose [3 connecting said fittings. At a substantially elevated point, thetank has a similar fitting H in its wall which is connected by a hose l5with the intake of a liquid circulating pump l6, and the discharge ofthis pump is connected by a hose I! with the radiator 1 adjacent the topthereof. The above connections constitute a closed water circulatingsystem.

Pump I6 is mounted on a rigid pedestal or support 18 disposed centrallyof housing I and its shaft is provided with a pulley l9 by which theimpeller of the pump (not illustrated) is driven. For this purpose abelt 2|] trained over pulley l9 and over a pulley 2| on the drivingshaft of an electric motor 22 is employed. The motor is mounted directlybeneath the radiator I on a resiliently supported base, to absorbvibration and enable silent operation.

The shaft of pump l6 also has an air circulating fan 24 secured thereto,fan 24 being disposed behind radiator so as to force air to be heated orcooled through the radiator in sufficient quantities for the desiredpurpose.

The above described structure constitutes the fluid circulating systemof the present unit, by which the air heating or cooling medium, water,is circulated through the radiator and by which the atmosphere heatingor cooling medium, air, is,

circulated in heat transfer relation to t e radiator so as to absorbheating units therefrom or yield heating units thereto.

F r the purpose of heating the water in the event it is desired to raisethe temperature of the room in which the unit is disposed, I provide aheating element 25 mounted in the wall of the tank and extendingsubstantially into the liquid therein. .This heating unit, an electricalunit in this embodiment, is conventionally illustrated. For the purposeof cooling the water, a cooling coil 26 of considerable length isdisposed in the tank adjacent the bottom thereof in the path of theWater entering the tank from connection Ill. The heating element 25 ispreferably a conventiona1 resistance element such as is readilyobtainable on the market, while coil 26 may circulate any desiredrefrigerant, being supplied for this purpose from an electricallyenergized and actuated refrigerant unit 21 mounted on the bot tom of thehousing I. Details of this unit are not illustrated inasmuch as it maybe any suitable type of the desired capacity.

The electric circuits for refrigerant unit and heatin element areintended to be automatically controlled, for example, by a relay, in awell known fashion and in general I have designated the means forperforming these functions as an electric control unit, indicated b thereference numeral 28. This preferably incorporates a thermostaticallycontrolled switchactuated by a thermostat 29. The thermostat may belocated in the tank 8 preventing overheating of the tank in the eventthat either the pump H or fan 24 fails to operate while the motor 22 isrunning. An expanding fluidtype thermostat will serve Well for thispurpose.

I have not illustrated details of the electric control unit 28 in detailsince the invention is concerned only broadly with its operation. The

thermostatically controlled switch referred to above should be doubleacting so that in one position thereof, through a relay or otherwise, itcompletes an. energizing circuit through cable 30 to heat element 25,said cable containing feed and return wires, and in another positioncompletes a similar electrical energizing and actuating circuit torefrigerant unit 21 through a similar cable 3|. A third circuit inparallel with these circuits is simultaneously made through cable 32 tomotor 22 when the control unit is in circuit making condition,in orderthat the pump and fan shall operate in either of the operating phases ofthe system. Obviously when the switch of the control unit is in anintermediate inoperative position with the'refrigerant unit and heatingelement cut off, motor 22 is also de-energized and idle.

The foregoing is a highly compact and efficient unit for heatingorcooling the atmosphere of a room or rooms by a flow of heating orcooling air. The parts thereof are very simple and emcient and, per se,may be conventional and reliable in type so that the unit as a whole isnot subject to faulty operation attributable to shortcomings of an ofthe component parts thereof.

Likewise because of the simplicity of the connec-,

tions, which is apparent to anyone skilled in the art, there is nolikelihood of faulty operation from this source. It is suflicientlyattractive in appearance and compact to constitute an accept-. ablearticle of furniture in any room.

An embodiment of the invention which incorclude equivalents of thefeatures shown and described, within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a heat exchange unit, in combination with a liquid circulatingsystem comprising a tank, a heat exchange member through which liquid iscirculated and through which air may be forced to effect thermaltransfer to or from the air, connections between said tank and memberconstituting with the same a closed liquid circulating line, including arotary liquid pump having its intake connected to the tank and itsdischarge connected to the member, a refrigerating unit having a heatexchange surface disposed in said tank to cool the liquid therein, aheating element disposed in the tank to heat the liquid therein, andmeans for actuating said refrigerating unit and heating element,comprising a thermostatically controlled device operativel connected tothe refrigerating unit and heating element to actuate the same, an aircirculating fan on the shaft of said pump disposed adjacent said heatexchange memberto force air therethrough, and means for driving saidpump and fan comprising a motor and belt drive therefrom to the pumpshaft, said motor being electricall connected to and energized by saiddevice when said heating element or refrigerating unit are actuated, theforegoing parts being entirely disposed as a unit on and in a compactcasing provided with air intake and discharge louvers.

2. In a heat exchange unit, in combination with a liquid circulatingsystem comprising a tank, a heat exchange member through which liquid iscirculated and through which air may be forced to effect thermaltransfer to or from the air, connections between said tank and memberconstituting with the same a closed liquid circulating line, including arotary liquid pump having its intake connected to the tank and itsdischarge connected to the member, a refrigerating unit having a heatexchange surface disposed in said tank to cool the liquid therein, aheating element disposed in the tank to-heat the liquid therein, andmeans for actuating said refrigerating unit and heating element,comprising a thermostatically controlled device operatively connected tothe refrigerating unit and heating element to actuate the same, an aircirculating fan adjacent said heat exchange member to force airtherethrough, and means for driving said pump and fan actuated by saiddevice when said heating element or refrigerating unit are actuated, theforegoing parts being entirely disposed as a unit on and in a compactcasing provided with air intake and discharge louvers.

3. In a heat exchange unit, in combination with a liquid circulatingsystem comprising a tank, a heat exchange member through which poratesthe principles of the invention in a high- 1y desirable manner has beenillustrated and de scribed, though I am aware that'other embodimentswithin the intent of the invention will suggest themselvis to thoseskilled in the art. It should be understood that the foregoingterminology is used only descriptively rather than in a limiting sense,and with full intention to in= liquid is circulated and through whichair may be forced to effect thermal transfer to or from the air,connections between said tank and member constituting with the same aclosed liquid circulating line, including a rotary liquid pump havingits intake connected to the tank and its discharge connected to themember, a refrigerating-unit having a heat exchange surface disposed insaid tank to cool the liquid therein, a heating element disposed in thetank to heat the liquid therein, and means for actuating saidrefrigerating unit and heating element, comprising a thermostaticallycontrolled device oper tively connected to the refrigerating unit andheating element to actuate the same, an air circulating fan adjacentsaid heat exchange member to force air therethrough, and means fordriving said pump and fan actuated by said device-when said heatingelement or refrigerating unit are actuated.

4. In a heat exchange unit, in combination with a liquid circulatingsystem comprising a tank, a heat exchange member through which liquid iscirculated and through which air may be forced to effect thermaltransfer to or from the air, connections between said tank and memberconstituting with the same a closed liquid circulating line, including arotary liquid pump having its intake connected to the tank and itsdischarge connected to the member, a refrigerating unit in heat exchangerelation to cool the liquid circulating in said line, a heating elementin heat exchange relation to said line, and means for actuating saidrefrigerating unit and heating element, comprising a thermostaticallycontrolled device operatively connected to the refrigerating unit andheating element to actuate the same, an air circulating fan adjacentsaid heat exchange member to force air therethrough, and means fordriving said pump and fan and actuated by said device when said heating,element or refrigerating unit are actuated.

5. In a heat exchange unit, in combination with a liquid circulatingsystem comprising a tank, a heat exchange'member through which liquid iscirculated and through which air may be forced to effect thermaltransfer to or from the air, connections between said tank and memberconstituting with the same a, closed liquid circulating line, includinga rotary liquid pump having .ts intake connected to the tank and itsdischarge connected to the member, a refrigeratand heating element,comprising a thermosta-.

tically controlled device operatively connected to the refrigeratingunit and heating element to actuate the same, an'air circulating fan onthe shaft of said pump disposed adjacent said heat exchange member toforce air therethrough, and means for driving said pump and fan,comprising a motor and belt drive therefrom to the pump shaft, saidmotor being electrically connected to and energized by said device whensaid heating element or refrigerating unit are actuated, the foregoingparts being entirely disposed as a unit on and in a compact casingprovided with air intake and discharge iouvers.

6. In a heat exchange device, the combination with a casing having airinlet and discharge openings, a heat exchange element operativelyassociated with said air discharge opening, a tank having a closedcirculating connection with said heat exchange element, a circulatingpump operatively associated with said circulating connection to deliverto the said heat exchange element, a'fan operatively associated withsaid heat exchange element and said discharge opening,

a motor having driving connection with said pump and fan, a heatingelement in said tank,

a refrigerating unit in said tank, and thermostatically controlled meansoperatively associated with and automatically controlling said heating e1 ement, motor and refrigerating unit whereby the device is selectivelyand automatically operated as a heating unit or as a cooling unit.

NICHOLAS 'I'. KATSULOS.

